The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-08-07
THE MAGIC OF MONEY.
How Attorney Amasa Snow Got
on His Feet.

His office was about rod from his
house, and quite near the high wooden
gate leading into the village street.
Over the door one rcads "Prothonotary
and Attorney-at-law.n 1t was a huge,
faded sign in black letters; one could
not go by Amasa Shows office and not
know of the business of its occupant.
The trouble with the sign was it was
not alluring enough. Squire Slayton.
down the street, with very small sign
and over a grocery store, and without
a big wide house, and family name
and connection-Squirc Slayton some-
how got all the business there was GO
ing in East Chcsterville. Amasa Snow
sat tilted back in his wooden armchair,
pulling his long chin beard. scratching
the few gray hairs in his sloping gray
head, and trying to conjurc up some
new scheme by which he could beat
Slayton again, and defer the foreclosure
sale. He had deferred it five times on
one excuse and another; but Stay
ton had him this time; there was
no help for it. The old place would
have to be sold--the old place where
his boyhood had been passed until he
went away to college, and where he
had lived ever since, and seen his six
girls grow up about him. His six girls!
He reached down and broke splinter
off bit of pine-wood by the stove,
and began TO chew hard on it. What
would become of the girls? Every one
n beauty in his eyes; every one worthy
of marrying the Governor of the State.
How could he tell them that the sale of
their old home could be postponed no
longer; that every device and trick,
and every legal bubble, had been tried
and tried againp He dared not tell the
girls. He looked out of the window;
it was raining. An April shower, to
be sure, with prospect of a golden
sunset later on, but making every thing
outside under the trees look very mud
dy and dismal. Amasa Snow felt very
depressed. Fate appeared to be against
him.
What was to be done? He had bor-
rowed from every one in the town. He
could borrow no longer. If the old
place were sold at twice it's value it
would not pay his debts. He had lived
well, and his six motherless girls had
never known how poor he was. "Ohr'
he groaned, as he rose and stood with
his back to that hot stove-.oh, how
can get on my feetP"
There were his law books-a couple
of thousand dingy calf volumes, not
kept up to date, the inheritance from
the Judge, his father, but even the law
books were 'chattclcd,' as they said,
:. C.. mortgage quite beyond their value.
Every thing he had, in fact, was mort
gagged. He had come this wet April
day to the end of things. Ncxt
week came the sale. He felt like say
ing-the delugc. He had not enough
money to take him and his family out
West.
That was his plan-to go West. HI
hardly felt his fifty years. He fell
young and energetic when he though
of the West. By the way, there was
his brother, Elisha-his brother who il
his youth was so much like him. III
was West-in California. He had no
seen him for twenty years. The las
he had heard from him was a request tt
send ON hundred dollars. That wa
FIVE years ago. He had sent him fifty
and nothing had been heard from
Elisha since, except his name indorset
across the back of the check, shown:
that he had received the money.
No, it was clear that Elisha coult
never help him. Elisha had cause,
him to loose several thousand dollar
once in mine. Elisha's name was nj
ways great bugbear in his famil.
since. No, Elisha could not be ex
pccted to help him. Stay! An idea
Amasa Snow began to poke the red-ho
fire vigorously. 1t was bleak, ray
day, but the fire was hot enough il
that little Office if left alone. An idea
Elisha should be made to help him.
was last hope. but it fired him wit
enthusiasm. He reached up into
dusty bookcase and got down file q
letters. He was looking for Elisha
address.
Just then there came tap at the Of
fee door. Amasa turned around. ''B
thunderr' he cried, nearly carried o
his feet with establishment. 'Its Elish
lin propria persona''
Il have come homc," said Elisha
meekly. II have come home-to neigl
Dor round"
.And just in the nick of time, Elisb.
Mighty glad am to see you!" The
thought occurred to him, as he shoe
his brothers hand, with that feeb
Connecticut, he would not tell Eiish
of his financial condition. He migl
not help him if he did. No, he woul
keep his own counsel.
Tho two brothers sat down by Il
stove. and Amasa threw another site
Of soft pine-wood on the fire. 1t WI
frightfully hot. "See here, Elisha,
he said, after pause. "How's Il
Grand American Eagle a-doin'a"
"She isn't a-doin'."
ssNothin' at all?"
'.No; hasn't been for ten years"
ut was splendid mine once, Elish
You used to say So
$50 it was; but we struck hard-p;
You remember about it. What's L
use Of rakin' over old personalities
this time, when l ought to be receiv
with open arms. and bonfire lighte
and fireworks touched Off"
II know, | know" replied Amas
apologetically. II ought to ask he
you have happened on East this way
'Why. yes; you ought to show so'
brotherly feeling. It's natural.
well. Elisha, have you got a
ready money in your pocket
"A thousand dollars"
Amasa walked over to his old ru!
safe. "Better put the money in here
he asked, casually. Elishs handed h
! roll Of bills. Don't feel like pay
MI any of that two thousand ast